THE GREEN ISSUE: RUBY IS THE NEW GREEN

Many of you may recall that on Earth Day of this year we launched the new Ruby Lane green program. As a follow-up, this May issue of Past Times is the first official green issue. We plan to do at least two of these issues a year where we'll share tips and inspiration for living a life that is respectful to Mother Earth.

For more information on Ruby Lane's green program visit our green page under RELAX.

Enjoy!

Ruby Lane

FALKY'S TREASURES: IF YOU HAVE IT, USE IT

"If you have it, use it". This quote comes from my mother-in-law. She was talking about using her hand-me-down china as everyday dishes. Her philosophy is simple, "It looks better in my cupboard than it does in the box stuffed in an closet!". It gives her a chance to think of her mother, grandmother and other family members. They are also wonderful conversation items. She has found that everyone is careful with the dishes so they are not the ones to "chip", or "crack" them. These dishes are very nice, bone china from the 1930's. They are beautiful and she is right, you do take care of them while you are eating goulash, or a hamburgers off of them. She also has a breathtaking, yellow, Depression glass water pitcher that she uses at every meal. Her water never looked better.

I am privileged to also have some hand-me-down dishes. I love the Pyrex bowls I use for parties. The guests love the colors, and my macaroni salad looks great in them. I also have tablecloths that were my grandmother that I use on my tables. They wash wonderfully, and the colors don't fade! When my kids were little they drank Kool-Aid, and we saved up and purchased cups and a pitcher. My kids are in high school now and so they are packed away, ready to give to my grandchildren someday and continue the cycle.

When I am shopping I have noticed that you can find "copies" of items made in the 1950's or 1960's. There are more 1qt. juice holders made of glass then Rubbermaid. So I feel special knowing that I have glass juice holders that were original to my family. But it allows other to find `replacements' to complete their sets.

So if you have some of your grandmothers or even your great-grandmothers items, use them. Of course, in some situations, keeping them on a shelf or in the box is the best idea. I have used RubyLane numerous times to replace items that were broken or missing in a set. I am also sold to people who want what their grandmother's or mother's had.

OGEE'S ANTIQUES: ANTIQUES; THE BUSINESS OF RECYCLING

When my husband and I started our business in 1978 it was to be an outlet for local artists. Antiques were an afterthought as a means of displaying the art work and having another potential commodity for sale, hence we included the word antiques in our name, Ogee's Art & Antiques. We bought oak furniture pieces (oak was popular in the 70's in Idaho) and began refinishing until we had a good foundation to open our shop. We opened the door two weeks before our Grand Opening and after the first week we realized our shop fixtures, the antique furniture, were gone. We raced to the auction house, feverishly refinished more oak and had a respectable showing when we officially opened the doors. That was the beginning of our recycling business.

We were not like the typical antiques dealers, we had not been collectors. We started selling antiques as a business, as a means to make money to pay bills. However it didn't take long before we realized that we gained pleasure from restoring discarded pieces of furniture and giving them new life, in essence, recycling them.

We reluctantly gave up on the art gallery aspect of our business and branched out with the antiques and collectibles. We have dealt with many facets of the business over the years. Besides furniture, we have restored antique lighting fixtures bringing new light to new homes. Old toys bring smiles to new generations. We have taken care that most everything we sell works as it did when it was originally sold whether it is a wind up toy or an electric toaster. We have always encouraged our customers to use the items they purchased. Why not buy an old ice cream scoop instead of new one, they both do the same job? An old pottery planter has just as much use today as it originally did and it keeps one more item out of the landfill. External horn phonographs have always been one of our favorites. Sure they look great but we sold them emphasizing they were to be used and enjoyed and not meant to be dust collectors...plus they're still fun if the lights go out or if you want entertainment on that one night a week when you chose to not to use the electricity!

We feel the antiques business is unique. We are only caretakers of items, recycling them, often with a bit of a facelift, allowing old items to have a new life with someone else. It is important to us that we don't except that we are a disposable society and that we preserve what we can of the past and recycle our heritage for future generations.

The antiques business is truly the ultimate recycling vehicle. We had always been aware of the importance of recycling but the longer we have been in the antiques business the more we appreciate the opportunity we have to recycle more than just paper, glass, tin and aluminum. So enjoy you're time on Ruby Lane and "don't forget to recycle!"

SIMPLE TIPS FOR GREENER LIVING

We should all be concerned about what we can do to aid in the creation of a sustainable environment. There are many things we can do to minimize the negative impact we may be making on the world. Our physical resources are finite. Some resources, such as wood from trees, may be renewed on a regular basis. Other resources, like fossil fuels, will take millions of years to replenish. Some are truly finite, and when gone, will be gone forever.

As a shopper on Ruby Lane, you may have already made a very environmentally friendly choice. Our antique and vintage items are previously owned and you are recycling these products for your own use. No new gold is being extracted from the ground for a vintage piece of jewelry, leaving an environmental problem to be dealt with. No trees are being clear cut for a vintage piece of furniture. And you may easily end up with a piece that exceeds the quality of many newer items and which will still be serving its purpose long after that new piece has outlived its short and disposable life.

While trucks, boats, or planes may be involved in a Ruby Lane purchase arriving at your door, they are also involved in getting items to any store you may shop in. By shopping online, you save time and fuel. Ruby Lane does its best to make sure that you have a great selection of quality products available to you in our special niches of antique and vintage items, artisan jewelry, and fine art. There are still items which you will undoubtedly have to shop for in the real world. A little planning can minimize your impact. Many of us live in environments where a walk to the neighborhood store is not a possibility, but if you are lucky enough to have that option, use it. The walk will have health benefits in itself and you will be reducing carbon emissions and saving fuel money. Take your own bag or tote, if practical.

Plan your shopping ahead of time. With a little effort, you can combine many errands, saving yourself time and money, while lessening your impact on the environment. By shopping locally you minimize your ecological footprint and make your own community a better and more self-sustaining place to work and live.

Unplug appliances and electrical devices when not in use. Many of us use chargers for many devices. Plug these into one power strip and turn the entire power strip off when not in use, or unplug it. Many devices actually draw power when not in use. Unplugging some of these devices or interrupting the flow of power by turning of a connecting power strip may be the only way to keep them from consuming electricity.

Use energy-saving light bulbs, and dispose of them properly. Many of these bulbs require special disposal, so read packaging carefully. Follow proper disposal methods for batteries, cel phones, and other electronic devices. Many business supply firms and others will accept these items for recycling. When replacing any appliance or electrical device, be sure to look at the energy consumption information.

Use recycled paper products, and use unbleached paper products where possible. While paper towels are convenient, many of the things we use them for may be done with a traditional reusable cleaning rag. Products made from hemp, bamboo, or recycled paper may leave a smaller carbon imprint, and hemp and bamboo products may be produced from sustainable crops.

Recycle. This is mandated in many areas, for many products, but there are no requirements on what to do with many items, such as old clothing. When cleaning out items that you are no longer using, consider donating them to local charities and non-profit thrift stores. Your local Humane Society may take old blankets and some items of clothing for animal bedding. Those old odds and ends and broken pieces of jewelry may have some scrap value. Check with local gold buyers.

Review your household cleaning products. Perhaps lemon juice or vinegar would work just as well, and at a lower cost, for many uses. Pre-soaking dishes may allow you to use an automatic dishwasher at a level which lowers water consumption. You may find laundry products which have reduced levels of phosphates, or none at all. Drying clothes on an outside line uses solar energy in a time-proven way and you won't need those little softener sheets to give them a great outdoor smell.

Make sure your computer uses as many energy saving modes as possible. Use recycled paper and try to use paper with the highest percentage of post-consumer material available. Inkjet cartridges are being made from recycled materials. Remanufactured cartridges are available and some cartridges may be refilled. Remember to recycle your old cartridges. When you decide to replace an older computer, look at the various options available for donation or recycling.

If you ship many items, personally or professionally, use as many recycled boxes and packing materials as possible. If you have friends that can use these materials, pass them on.

Those of us that buy and sell antiques and vintage items using a modern medium such as the internet appreciate some of the best features of the past and present. The old adage "One man's trash is another man's treasure" applies to both of these worlds. By using the resources of both of these worlds wisely, we can have a more positive impact on the future.